1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage container, and in particular, a vacuum sealed canister apparatus that preferably provides for holding a Protective Breathing Equipment (PBE) device,
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, a PBE device for airplane crews is packaged in a clear, partially evacuated bag openable by a tear strip. The bag is placed in a fire-proof, hard shell container closed by a lid, which must first be opened to access the bag holding the PBE device. Such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,700 to Rohling et al. which comprises a double-shell housing containing an evacuated, flexible envelope or pouch holding a respirator as the PBE device. The problem is that fast donning time for the PBE device is important. The use of a flexible pouch provided inside a container necessitates opening two packages to access the PBE device.
Another packaging device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,365 to Jablonski which discloses a rip-open, thin-section pouch holding a disposable air filtration mask. The pouch includes a transparent or semi-transparent front panel through which the mask is visible and a pull tab that enables the pouch to be opened by tearing along a seam. This device does not have a hard-shell container and is not particularly adapted for use in low pressure high altitude environments. Also, the pouch is susceptible to inadvertent tearing, puncturing and like damage.
A hard-shell storage container is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,189 to Molzan which describes a waterproof container having an upper body portion sealed to a lower body portion. The upper body portion is provided with a pressure relief valve that allows air to escape from the interior of the container under high-altitude conditions. A screw type vacuum relief valve eliminates the vacuum inside the container after the container has been collapsed under the force of external pressure to facilitate entry into the container. The problem is that the screw-type relief valve is unacceptably time consuming when fast donning time of the PBE is required.
There is thus a need for a canister for holding a PBE device that prevents unwanted and inadvertent breaching of the canister integrity while providing instant access to the contents held therein. This requires that the canister have a lid that is quickly and easily removed from the container portion of the canister while being protected from inadvertent breaching when the canister is not intended to be opened.